IRREGULAEITIES OF THE TEETH. 505 



lower teetli, wounding the tongue and cheeks, and causing what 

 is vulgarly termed " quidding." 



Tliis malformation may be due to the rami of the lower jaw 

 being unusually close together, or to what more rarely occurs, 

 the increased breadth of the upper maxilla ; in either case, the 

 result is the same, namely, the prevention of the natural grind- 

 ing motion of the jaws by the overlapping of the unworn surfaces. 



The treatment in such cases can only be palliative, and consists 

 in the periodical rasping of the edges of the teeth, and feeding 

 the animal on soft food. 



The teeth, both incisors and molars, are sometimes irregularly 

 placed in the mouth, the irregularities of the incisors, both as to 

 position and number, being more common than those of the 

 molars ; and they seldom cause any disease or inconvenience, 

 unless when, projecting beyond a moderate length, they bruise 

 or otherwise injure the opposing jaw. They must either be 

 removed or rasped down to a moderate length. Their removal 

 is a very difficult matter, indeed scarcely possible without 

 fracture of the jaw ; but they may be reduced by the rasp very 

 easily. 



The irregularities of the molars are of much greater import- 

 ance, and, independently of those already described as depending 

 upon the want of uniformity in the width of the jaws, the two 

 opposing rows may be of unequal length. Thus the upper row 

 may be longer than the opposing lower row ; in this case, either 

 the first or last molar in the upper row, as the case may be — 

 and it is sometimes the one, sometimes the other — not being 

 worn down by attrition, becomes elongated to such an extent 

 as to cause extensive disease in the lower jaw. Again, the rows 

 in the lower jaw may be longer than those of the upper ; in this 

 case, the unopposed teeth will grow to such an extent as to 

 cause disease of the superior maxillary bone, and even to 

 perforate into the superior maxillary sinus. In such cases it is 

 necessary that the sharp projection be removed. "VVlien situated 

 anteriorly, this is not difficult to accomplish, a good strong 

 cliisel and hammer being all that are requu-ed, in addition to the 

 balling-iron to open the horse's mouth. It may not be necessary 

 to cast him, if he is a very quiet beast, but all operations on the 

 teeth and mouth are much more easily performed when the horse 

 is cast. After the projection has been chiselled off, all remaining 



